The owner of this account isn't an office worker—she's a student!
On the seventh day of winter break, staring at his phone screen and the conversation with [SilentGazer], Okino finally pieced together the other party's true identity.
Ever since winter break started, the response speed of this account had noticeably quickened. There were even times when he'd hit send and get a reply the very next second.
If she were an office worker… it'd be pretty tough for her to pull that off.
One long-standing puzzle was solved, but in its wake, a flood of new questions surged before Okino's eyes.
Which school? Which class? Which student? What's her name?
Okino stared at his phone, then leaned back, lifting a hand to press against his forehead.
Ugh… what a headache.
He tilted his head back and gazed up at the ceiling.
Nakatsuru Aya, oh Nakatsuru Aya… why can't you let me rest, even in death?
The middle-aged man, stubble framing his lips, closed his eyes and let out a heavy sigh.
Ding-dong~
A crisp notification tone from his phone on the table snapped him upright. He picked it up again.
[SilentGazer: Do you want to know where Nakatsuru Aya is?]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: You'd actually tell me where she is?]
[SilentGazer: If you don't ask, how can I tell you?]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: If I ask, you'll tell me?]
[SilentGazer: Nope.]
"..."
Okino stared silently at the message displayed on his screen, his fist unconsciously clenching.
There it was. That familiar, blood-pressure-spiking feeling was back.
[SilentGazer: But she'll come to you on her own.]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: ?]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: What do you mean by that? Explain yourself!]
[SilentGazer: Well, after her son's been out wandering on his own for over a decade, his dad kinda has to check in and see how he's getting by, doesn't he?]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: You son of a—]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: I'm the older one here! I'm your dad!]
[SilentGazer: But wasn't Nakatsuru Aya an orphan? Since when did she have a dad?]
You—!
Okino could only glare uselessly at his phone screen.
—Fine, you win!
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: So you're saying she'll come back to Central Tracen Academy to find me?]
[SilentGazer: That's right.]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: When?]
[SilentGazer: Tomorrow? Next week? Next month? Or next year?]
[SilentGazer: Wait, and hope.]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: You definitely know exactly when she's coming back!]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: Just when is it? Spit it out already!]
[I'll Be The World's Best Trainer!: Hey? Hey?!]
Ignoring the phone that was still chiming incessantly, Bless the Moment tossed it aside and skipped cheerfully out of her room.
She headed downstairs and looked around, but didn't see her mother anywhere.
"Dad, do you know where Mom is?"
Bless the Moment looked toward her father sitting on the sofa and asked.
"Can't you come to me for anything?"
The middle-aged man on the sofa grumbled, a little displeased. "I'm the head of this household, you know."
"So, do you know where my clothes are?"
"No."
"What about my socks?"
"...No."
"Then what do you know, Dad?"
"...Your mom and your sister went out shopping."
"Oh."
Bless the Moment nodded and turned to head back to her room to continue her chat with Okino.
"Wait!"
Seeing his younger daughter turn away without hesitation, the man on the sofa quickly called out to stop her.
Winter break had already been going on for a week.
During that time, unless absolutely necessary, Bless the Moment had been holed up in her room, showing no intention of going outside.
…This just wouldn't do.
Looking at his younger daughter, who was now staring back at him in confusion, the middle-aged man gathered his thoughts. He needed to have a good talk with his little girl, who was already showing signs of becoming a shut-in.
Staying cooped up at home all the time was no good.
People, and Uma Musume alike, are social creatures.
Even if you don't feel like it, you still need to get out and about.
If you just stay shut in all the time, you'll eventually lose your mind.
"Dad? What is it?"
Bless the Moment asked, sitting down beside him at his gesture.
"Bless… You've been staying in ever since winter break started. How about trying to go out for a bit?"
"Go out?"
Bless the Moment glanced out the window. "Dad, are you suggesting I go wander around outside by myself when it's already below freezing?"
"Yes."
The middle-aged man nodded. "How can staying home all the time be good? Look at Kitasan Black and Satono Diamond. When I ran into them outside this morning, they even asked me if you were home."
"You went out this morning and saw Kita-chan and Dia?"
The white-haired Uma Musume was curious. "Did they say what they were going to do?"
"I didn't ask."
The man shook his head. "I really think it'd be better if you, like them, took advantage of the break to go out and do things, instead of just holing up here."
"Young people need to get out more."
"Then how about you come with me, Dad?"
Bless the Moment asked.
"Your dad… your dad will pass."
The middle-aged man replied. "I already took a walk around the neighborhood this morning. I'm not going out again."
"I see."
Bless the Moment nodded. "You're scared of the cold, Dad."
"Me? Scared of the cold?"
The man subtly tugged his sleeves down a bit further, then voiced his objection to his daughter's words. "Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
"Then you'll come out with me, right Dad?"
Bless the Moment looked at her father, her hands pressing down on the sofa cushion. "I actually want to go to the bookstore to buy a few books… Think of it as keeping me company?"
"..."
The middle-aged man, under his daughter's gaze, fell silent.
"Dad, you just don't want to go out because you're afraid of the cold."
The white-haired Uma Musume stated with certainty.
"…You're planning to go out dressed like that?"
After a brief stare-down, the father decided to change tactics, his gaze dropping to the clothes she was wearing.
"Dad, so you're agreeing? I'll go change right now!"
Bless the Moment sprang up and pattered upstairs in her slippers, leaving her father still on the sofa, his hand partly outstretched as if to hold her back.
…Ah, forget it. It's still better than her always staying home.
Watching his younger daughter's back disappear from view, the middle-aged man glanced down at his own clothes, then grabbed the jacket draped nearby and started pulling it on.
--+--
T/N: While I am an inexperienced Translator, I have a Patreon! While it may seem empty as of now, webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.